Cooking range



June 29, 1954 E. A. RUTENBER COOKING RANGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I0 9 20 I 1"1, W :fi

;7d SI// 5 22 I L r I4- I4- 6 0 do INVENTOR.

EuwmA RUTENBER June 29, 1954 E. A. RUTENBER 2,682,600

COOKING RANGE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

EDNINA- R UTENBER Jun 1954 E. A. RUTENBER COOKING RANGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Original Filed Feb. 24, 1947 INVENTOR. EDWIN A. RUTENBER BY M p PatentedJune 29, 1954 COOKING RANGE Edwin A. Rutenber, Greenville, Mich.,assignor to Gibson Refrigerator Mich., a corporation of MichiganCompany,

Greenville,

Original application February 24, 1947, Serial N 0. 730,357. Divided andthis application March 4, 1950, Serial No. 147,615

6 Claims.

This invention relates to cooking ranges and more particularly toelectric cooking ranges of the type which include a deep well cooker.

The present invention is a division of my copending application forCooking Range, Serial No. 730,357, filed February 24, 1947, nowabandoned.

The principal object of the present invention is to providea deep wellcooker having a burner which can be moved between deep well cookingposition and surface burner position, and in which the burner is morepositively and efliciently guided between those two positions than inprevious cookers of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a cooker having meansfor maintaining a burner in substantially a horizontal position whilethe burner is being raisedand lowered.

Another object is to provide a simple and effective means for guidingthe burner between its raised and lowered positions and for preventingthe burner from leaving the guideways.

Another object is to provide a deep well cooker having a verticallymovable burner and provided with seats for positioning the burner foruse as a surface burner, and as deep well cookers of two differentdepths.

A still further object is to provide a deep well cooker with avertically movable burner provided with means for positively coiling theelectric cables of the burner in nested position when the burner islowered.

These objects are attained in part by providing guideways for the burnerwhich are inclined throughout substantially their entire lengths betweenthe two positions which the burner occupies. These objects are alsoattained in part, by providing a simple form of disk-like anti-frictionmeans between the movable burner and the deep well cooker wall.

For a more complete explanation of the invention and its advantages,reference shouldbe had to the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an electric range having a deep well cookerembodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantiallythe line 22 of Figure Figure 3 is a plan view of the deep well cookerconstruction, parts being broken away to more clearly disclose theconstruction thereof;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a portion of thestructure shown in Figure .3 on an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 5-5of Figure 2;

Figure 6 and '7 are, respectively, a cross-sectional view taken onsubstantially the line 6-6 of Figure 5 and a plan view of the burner,illustrating in a somewhat exaggerated manner the tendency of the burnerto tilt While being moved, and the means for substantially preventingsuch tilting; and

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the invention.

The range shown in Figure 1 is for the most part conventional. Itincludes a top I0 having three circular openings 8 therein for thereception of conventional surface burners I2. A fourth circular opening9 is formed in the top II] to receive a deep well cooker I3. Suitablecontrols I I of conventional form are mounted on the top wall forregulating the temperature of the surface burners and the deep wellcooker burner.

The opening 9 in the top wall which receives the deep well cooker isprovidedwith an annular rabbet I5 about its periphery. The deep wellcooker I3 rests upon the bottom wall of the rabbet I5, as disclosed inFigure 2.

The deep well cooker I3 includes a cylindrical outer sleeve I6, atubular side wall I9, and a burner 21 movable upwardly and downwardlywithin the latter. The outer sleeve is closed at the lower end by abottom wall IT. The upper end of the sleeve I6 is provided with ahorizontal annular flange I8.

The tubular side Wall I9 is located within and in spaced coaxialrelation to the sleeve I6. The upper end of the side wall I9 is providedwith a horizontal outwardly extending portion 20 which is provided witha down-turned peripheral flange 2|. The flange 2| rests upon the bottomwall of the rabbet I5. The flange I8 of the sleeve I6 is welded orotherwise secured to the portion 20. Thus, the entire deep well cookeris supported on the bottom wall of the rabbet I5. The bottom of thetubular side wall I9 is closed by a plate 22 which may or may not beintegral with the side wall I9.

Spaced about the side wall I9 are three guideways 23 for the burner. Theguideways 23 may be formed in various Ways, but in'the preferred formshown they are slots cut in the side wall I9. The slots are inclinedupwardly from their lower ends to points adjacent their upper ends. Theupper portions of the slots curve laterally and downwardly as shown inFigure 2. The extremities of the slots thus form upper burner supportingseats 24 and lower burner supporting seats 25, as will more clearlyappear presently. The portion of the slots intermediate such seats formthe guideways 23' to guide the burner 2? in its movement between theseats 24 and 25.

As above mentioned, the upper portions of the guideways 23 :cunvelaterally anddownwardly to the seats 2%. The upper edge of each guidewayin this zone is semi-circular. The correspondins lower edge is provided,directly beneath the highest part of the upper edge of the guide, with wan upwardly extending projection 31. The sides of the projection 3"!curve downwardly and outwardly. The purpose of this particularconfiguration of the upper portions of the guideways will appear later.

The sleeve It and the tubular wall l il are spaced apart radially, andthe slotted guideways 23 are sealed oil from the major portion of thespace between the parts It and [9 by means of three channel shapedspacersfli. gee particularly/Figure 5. The legs ofthe channel shapedspacers 26 are preferablyweld'ed to the outside of the tubu- .larsidewall :19.

The burner 2:! includes a pair of heating, elementsZYa'and a supportingframe 22. The heating elements maybe of conventional construction. Theheating elements Zia are secured to the iraineiit so asto movetherewith. The frame 28 .is of generally triangular configuration withtruncated apexes. Preferably the frame 28 is a metal casting.

The means for supporting the burner on the "seats 24 and 25 comprisesthree guides in the Lform o'i studs '25. The studs '29 have cylindricalheads '35 and shanks iiii of somewhat reduced cross-section. The shanks(it are threaded and are received in tapped openings in the apexes ofthe frame 28. The lengths of the studs 28 are such that when assembledeach stud extends through a corresponding guideway 23 and coopera'teswith the latter in guiding the frame and burner in its upward anddownward movement.

"It will be noted that the frame 28 is so constructed'that the apexesthereof are spaced slight- 13/ from the tubular side wall .1 9. disk orwasher 3'8 surrounds thehead of each stud "29 and is rotatably mountedthereon. The

washers 3t engage the apexes of the frame 28 and also engage the tubularside wall l9 at circumfer'entially spaced points on opposite sides ofthe guideways'tii. Because offthe cylindrical configuration of thetubular side wall it, the

washers 3.0 engage the wall ,IQ-at only those two circumferentiallyspaced points and are spaced from the wall t9 above and below the heads35 of thestuds'29. The washers 30 act as anti-fric- 'tion elements sothat the burner can be .freely raised and "lowered. They also assist inmain-- taining the burner in a horizontal position during its raisingand lowering movement, as will be more fully ,pointed out presently.

The burner frame is provided with a handle 3! which when not in useassumes a horizontal position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The handled!canbe raised .to a vertical position when it is desired to raise orlower the burner.

Theheating elements 21a in the burner .21 are connected by means ofsuitable electrical conduc'tors .32 to three terminals 33 extendingthrough and attached to the tubular side walls 19 in the sleeve Hi. Theconductors 32 are insulatedpreferably'by the "type of insulationdisclosedin'my Patent No. 2,416,6 15 granted "February 25, I947.

Theterminals '33 are located adjacent-the con- An annular LEO nectionsof the cables 32 to the burner when the latter is lowered, and the threecables extend throughout substantially the circumference of the shell.This provides sufficient cable to permit the burner to be fully raised.The cables are .positively'caused to nest .in flat condition coaxiallyof the shell when the burner is lowered by the rotating movement of theburner caused by the inclined guideways 23.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the burner 21 is intendedto assume two positions. One position is at the upper end of itsmovement wherein the studs 29 rest upon the seats 24 and thus hold theburner in a position where it can he -usedas a typical surface burner.In the other position of the burner the studs 29 rest upon the seats 25at the lower ends of the guideways 23 and in this position the burneracts as a burner for a deep well cooking pan or pot (not shown) in theusual manner. The burner is raised from its lower to its upper positionby grasping the handle 31 with the hand or with a suitable hook-shapedtool and pulling upwardly. Due to the inclined configuration of theguideways'23 and the arcuate shape of the upper ends of the latter, theburner is rotated a limited distance about its vertical axis and cammedinto position upon *theseats 24.

The particular configurationof the=upper portion of the 'guideway 23previously described; namely, the semi-"circular upper edge and theprojection 31- on the lower edgacauses the burner to seat itself on theupper seat 24 when theburner is being raised from the lower seat 25 andnears the upper limit of its travel, and to unseat the burner and moveit 'to a position to "be lowered when the burner is raised apredetermined distance from the upper seat. Thus, when the burner "ismoved upwardly from the lower seat the studs 29 follow the inclinedguidcways until they strike the curved upper edges thereof, and are thenmoved circumferentially'df the side wall F9. The inertia of the*rotatingburner will carry the studs slightly beyond the uppermost partsof the a-rcuate edges, or past dead center, as it were, and clockwise(as viewed 'inFigure '5') beyond the projections 31. The burner is *thenin sucha position that it i can be lowered onto the upper seats, duringwhich "movement the "studs '29 slide *down the sides of the projections"87 nearest the seats it onto the latter.

In lowering the burner it is first moved from the upper seats, whichmovement rotates the burner counter-clockwise and carries the studs'past the other sides of the projections 81. The burner can then belowered and it willbe guided downwardly to the lower seats '25. i

It is essential that the burner be maintained in substantially ahorizontal positionat-alltimes during its upward .and downward:movement. This result is necessary in (order that :the :burner may movefreely :and that the heads 35 of ithe studs 29 will not pull out of the-guideways 23. The horizontal position is maintained by :the mutualcontribution of the .inclined guideways 23 and the washers 3|]. As willbe noted IlTDlll Figure 7,, if the burnershould tiltfromitshorizontalposition, .either by accident or design, the

' stud29 on that portion of the periphery of the burner which tends torise above the remainder 'of the burner will be moved laterally slightlydue to the camm'ing eifect 'of the inclined guideway in which theaforementioned stud moves. That will cause the entire burner to assume"a slightly eccentric position, as seenin Figure '7. Such 'ecside walll9.

centricity can never become very great because a portion of theperiphery of the burner will contact the corresponding portion of thetubular If the guideways 23 were vertical throughout substantially theirentire extent, this tendency of the burner totake a position ofeccentricity relative to the tubular side wall I a would not beproduced, and unless otherwise permitted, the heads of the studs mightpull out of the corresponding guideways.

The inclination of the guideways is alone sufficient to prevent theheads of the studs from escaping from the guideways, but with thatfeature only there is a tendency for the burner to bind against the sidewall if the burner is tilted. The washers eliminate the tendency tobind, and also assist in preventing the studs from moving out of theguideways. Figure 6 illustrates the results obtained by the employmentof the washers 30. As will be seen in that figure, if the burner tendsto tilt, the lowermost part of the washer on the high side of the burnermoves toward the burner side wall, while the upper portion of the samewasher moves away from the side wall. On the other hand, the upperportions of the other washers tend to engage the burner side wall Hi.This effect is little more than a tendency, however, due to themanufacturing tolerances inthe side wall I9, the burner frame 28, andthe washers 30. Thus, tilting of the burner is limited by the washers.The washers can rotate about the studs 29, thereby producing a rollingcontact between the washers and the side wall l9 and minimizing frictionbetween burner and side wall.

These two anti-tilting features together maintain the burner in a verynearly horizontal position, yet completely prevent any binding betweenthe burner and the side wall IS in which the burner moves.

Figure 8 discloses a slightly modifiedform of the present invention. Theconstruction of the burner is identical with that of the burnerpreviously disclosed. The only part of the entire structure which isdifferent from that described heretofore is the side wall, which isdesignated by the numeral 40. The side wall is provided with threeguideways M, of which only one is shown. These guideways are in the formof slots cut in the burner side wall. The guideways 4| are formed,however, to provide an intermediate seat for the burner, so that ifdesired a deep well cooking pot of less capacity and less depth than theregular deep well pot may be employed. The guideways 4! are providedwith bottom burner seats 42 and upper burner seats 43, just as thosepreviously described. Intermediate the ends of the slot the latter bendslaterally and downwardly to provide seats 44.

As will be apparent from this brief description, a burner which isprovided with studs 45 which move in the guideway 4| can be placed inany one of three positions, namely, a lower position wherein the studsrest on the seats 42, an intermediate position where the studs rest onthe seats 44, and a raised or surface burner position wherein the studsrest in the seats 43.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides an extremely simple and economical form of deep well cooker inwhich the burner can be readily raised and lowered without any tendencyfor it to bind within the side wall in which it is received.Furthermore, the particular configuration of the upper ends of theguideways eliminate the necessity to manually rotate the burner whenseating it or unseating it from its uppermost position.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cooking appliance structure, a tubular burner support, saidburner support having a plurality of upper and lower burner supportingseats, the upper seat being spaced vertically from the correspondinglower seat, said burner support being provided with slots extendingbetween said seats, a burner in said burner support, said burner havingradially-extending studs received in said slots, and plates on saidburner engaging the inner side walls of said tubular burner supportadjacent saidslots, the planes of said plates forming chords relative tosaid burner support.

2. A cooking appliance comprising a tubular shell forming a receptacle,said shell having upper and lower burner seats thereon, said shellhaving at least one slot therein forming a guideway between the seats, aburner mounted in said shell for upward and downward movement relativethereto, a stud carried by said burner and received in said guideway, aplate secured to and extending transversely of said stud and engagingthe shell wall to limit the tilting of said burner relative to saidshell, and a guide on said shell for deflecting said burner'circumferentially of said shell as it approaches said upper seats.

3. A cooking appliance comprising a tubular burner support, said burnersupport having a plurality of upper and lower burner supporting seats,each of said upper seats being spaced vertically from the correspondinglower seat, said burner support being provided with slots formingguideways extending between said seats, and a burner in said burnersupport, said burner having radially extending studs received in saidslots, and disks on said studs engaging the side of said tubular burnersupport adjacent said slots, said disks extending transversely of saidstuds.

4. A cooking appliance comprising a burner support, said burner supportbeing provided with a plurality of pairs of upper and. lower burnerseats, said burner support being provided with slots extending betweensaid seats, a burner in said burner support, said burner having studsthereon movably engaging said slots. a plurality of disks mounted onsaid studs adjacent said slots and extending transversely of said studs,each of said disks engaging the inner surface of said burner support atpoints spaced from said slots, and being held against said burnersupport by engagement of saiddisks with said burner.

5. In a cooking appliance structure, a shell member, an electric burnermember disposed in said shell member for upward and downward and rotarymovement, electric cables connected to said burner member, and means forreleasably supporting said burner in the upper portion of said shellwhere it serves as a top burner, said means comprising cooperating studsand guideways on said members, said guideways extending upwardly fromthe lower portion of said shell circumferentially of said shell towardthe upper portion of the latter and providing at their upper endslaterally extending stud seats, said burner being rotated in its upwardand downward travel by said guideways to efiect a coiling and uncoilingof said cables.

6. In a cooking appliance structure, a shell member, an electric burnerdisposed in said shell member" fQI UDWaI'd al idw'downward and rotarymovement, (an relectricmable having its wlupper end connected tosaidburnersm'ember-amd its lower end portion secured to thelowerpurtion ofsaid shell, and means for releasably supporting said burner in theupperlportioni of :said shell where it serves as a top burner, said.meansrcomprising cooperatingastuds and 'xguideways on said members,said guideways extending w-upward'ly entially thereof ltowardatheuppersportion bfisaid shell and having their upper A endsturneddaterally to provide stud seats.

1 References Cited in the file 012' x this: patent UNITED STATESTEA'I'EZNTS Number

